Victor Santana is currently 2-0 in the tournament with his “Heralds of Hope” Deck that uses Dawn of the Herald with Tour Guide from the Underworld and Djinn Releaser of Rituals to pin down his opponent’s plays. Now, he’s facing off against Ali Yassine, who is 3-0 with his Fish Deck. An early lead will be the key to victory in this Match.

Yassine started off the Match by activating Pot of Duality, revealing Monster Reborn, Fishborg Blaster, and Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth. He added Monster Reborn to his hand and then Set a card to his back row, ending his turn.

Santana opened up the Duel with Chaos Sorcerer; Herald of Orange Light; Dawn of the Herald; Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands; Herald of Perfection; and Djinn Releaser of Rituals. He Summoned Manju and activated its effect to search his Deck for a copy of Herald of Perfection to add to his hand. Then he activated Dawn of the Herald and pitched one Herald of Perfection in his hand to Special Summon the other one in Defense Position. Next, he removed Dawn of the Herald from his Graveyard to return Herald of Perfection from his Graveyard to his hand. He attacked directly with Manju and ended his turn.

Yassine passed without making a play.

Santana drew Preparation of Rites next turn and activated it to grab another Herald of Perfection from his Deck. Then he Normal Summoned his Djinn and attacked directly with it and his Manju.

Yassine Summoned Oyster Meister and attacked the Djinn, destroying it in battle.

Santana drew Sangan next turn. He Summoned Herald of Orange Light and Tuned it with Manju to Synchro Summon Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth. Next, he removed Herald of Orange Light and Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his Graveyard to Special Summon Chaos Sorcerer and activated its effect to remove Oyster Meister from the Duel. He followed up by switching Herald of Perfection to Attack Position. Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth and Herald of Perfection attacked directly, eliminating the last 4000 of Yassine’s Life Points!

A first-turn Herald of Perfection allows Victor Santana to make short work of Ali Yassine. Yassine will be going first in Duel 2!

Yassine started off the second Duel by activating Gold Sarcophagus and removing Light and Darkness Dragon from his Deck so that he could reclaim it 2 turns later. He Set a monster and ended his turn.

Santana opened up Duel 2 with Herald of Orange Light, Sangan, Herald of Perfection, Giant Trunade, Maxx “C”, and Tour Guide From the Underworld. He Summoned the Tour Guide and activated her effect to Special Summon Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his Deck. He attacked Yassine’s face-down monster with his Djinn; it was a Snowman Eater! Santana lost some Life Points and Snowman Eater destroyed the Djinn. Santana Set Giant Trunade before ending his turn.

Yassine activated another copy of Gold Sarcophagus next turn. He removed Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth with its effect so that he’d be able to add it to his hand in 2 turns. Then he Set a monster and passed.

Santana drew Allure of Darkness next turn! He activated it to draw another Djinn and an Upstart Goblin, and removed the Djinn from the Duel with the effect of Allure of Darkness. Then he activated Upstart Goblin and drew another Djinn Releaser of Rituals. Yassine gained 1000 Life Points. Santana attacked Yassine’s face-down Treeborn Frog with his Tour Guide, destroying it, and Set Sangan in Main Phase 2 before ending his turn.

Yassine Special Summoned Treeborn Frog next turn and added Light and Darkness Dragon from his removed-from-play pile to his hand. Then he activated Moray of Greed to send Oyster Meister and Ronintoadin from his hand to his Deck and draw 3 cards. He activated another Moray of Greed next, this time sending Swap Frog and Dupe Frog back to his Deck to draw 3 cards. He Tributed Treeborn Frog and Snowman Eater to Summon Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth and then discarded Light and Darkness Dragon from his hand to Special Summon 2 copies of Oyster Meister and 2 copies of Fishborg Blaster from his Deck with the effect of his Coelacanth. Santana pitched Maxx “C” when Yassine activated the effect of his Coelacanth and was allowed to draw a card when the 4 monsters hit the field. Yassine Tuned Fishborg Blaster with Oyster Meister to Summon Armory Arm and Santana drew a card thanks to Maxx “C” while Yassine gained an Oyster Token. Then Yassine Tuned another Fishborg with Oyster Meister to Summon another Armory Arm, and Santana drew another card while Yassine gained another Token. Yassine equipped Armory Arm to Tour Guide to give her 1000 ATK, and when he tried to equip the other Armory Arm to Tour Guide, Santana pitched Herald of Orange Light and Herald of Perfection from his hand to negate the effect of the Armory Arm and destroy it. Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth attacked and destroyed Santana’s face-down Sangan next, and Santana added Manju from his Deck to his hand with its effect. Yassine ended his turn.

Santana drew Mystical Space Typhoon next turn. He activated Upstart Goblin to draw another Tour Guide and give Yassine 1000 Life Points. Then he Normal Summoned Manju and activated its effect to search his Deck for Dawn of the Herald and add it to his hand. He activated Dawn of the Herald, using a Djinn in his Graveyard and a Djinn in his hand to Ritual Summon Herald of Perfection in Defense Position. Yassine could no longer Special Summon monsters! Santana attacked Yassine’s 2 Oyster Tokens with Manju and Tour Guide, and then Set Safe Zone and Mystical Space Typhoon before ending his turn.

Yassine added Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth to his hand in his next Standby Phase due to the effect of his Gold Sarcophagus. Then he activated Pot of Duality to reveal Pot of Duality, Gold Sarcophagus, and Ronintoadin from the top of his Deck. He added the Gold Sarcophagus to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Next, Yassine attacked Tour Guide with his Coelacanth, destroying it in battle and dealing 800 points of damage to Santana. (Tour Guide had 2000 ATK due to the effect of Armory Arm.) Santana dropped down to 6500 Life Points. Yassine activated Gold Sarcophagus in Main Phase 2, removing Dark Hole from his Deck so that he could add it to his hand in 2 turns. He Set a monster before ending his turn.

Santana drew Herald of Orange Light next turn. He Summoned Tour Guide and activated its effect to Special Summon another Tour Guide from his Deck, in Defense Position. Play passed to Yassine.

Yassine Normal Summoned Swap Frog and activated its effect to send Ronintoadin from his Deck to his Graveyard. Yassine attacked the Attack Position Tour Guide with his Coelacanth. Santana flipped Safe Zone to protect it, and lost 1800 Life Points in the battle. Then Swap Frog destroyed Santana’s Defense Position Tour Guide.

Santana drew Senju next turn. He Normal Summoned Herald of Orange Light and Tuned it with Tour Guide to Synchro Summon Ally of Justice Catastor. Yassine used Effect Veiler to negate Catastor’s effect so that it couldn’t destroy the Coelacanth. In his Battle Phase, Santana attacked Yassine’s face-down Dupe Frog with Manju and lost 600 Life Points.

Yassine added Dark Hole to his hand next turn thanks to Gold Sarcophagus and activated it; but Santana discarded his last in-hand card, Senju, to negate it with Herald of Perfection! Next, Yassine Tributed his Coelacanth and Dupe Frog to Summon Light and Darkness Dragon. Santana flipped Mystical Space Typhoon, targeting his own face-down Giant Trunade, to reduce the ATK of Light and Darkness Dragon. Then Light and Darkness Dragon attacked and destroyed Manju. Santana attacked Light and Darkness Dragon with Ally of Justice Catastor next. Light and Darkness Dragon dropped down to 1800 ATK trying to negate Catastor’s effect, and then Catastor destroyed the Dragon in battle. Yassine couldn’t Special Summon anything in its place, because Herald of Perfection was still on the field, Summoned by a Djinn!

Yassine Summoned Swap Frog next turn and activated its effect to send Treeborn Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he Tributed Swap Frog by activating Enemy Controller in order to try to take control of Catastor; but Santana discarded his last in-hand card, Herald of Perfection, to negate Enemy Controller!

Santana drew Honest next turn. He switched Herald of Perfection to Attack Position and attacked directly with Catastor and Herald of Perfection.

Yassine Set a monster and passed.

Santana drew Upstart Goblin and activated it, drawing Manju from his Deck and granting Yassine 1000 Life Points. He attacked Yassine’s face-down Dupe Frog with Herald of Perfection, costing himself 200 Life Points, and then destroyed Dupe Frog, with Ally of Justice Catastor, allowing Yassine to search his Deck for a Swap Frog to add to his hand.

Yassine Set Swap Frog and a back row.

Santana drew another Manju next turn. He Summoned it to the field and when Yassine flipped Torrential Tribute, Santana discarded Manju from his hand to negate it. Catastor attacked the face-down Swap Frog and then Herald of Perfection and Manju attacked directly.

Yassine Summoned Swap Frog next turn and activated Enemy Controller to Tribute it and try to take control of Ally of Justice Catastor once again; but Santana discarded his last in-hand card, Honest, to negate the Enemy Controller! Yassine instantly conceded!

By not allowing Ali Yassine to Special Summon any monsters in Duel 2, and shutting down his key plays with Herald of Perfection throughout the Match, Victor Santana dominates Ali Yassine and takes a 2-0 victory, moving on in the tournament with a perfect 3-0 record!